Originally Posted By SuperDry Just a word of advice to upcoming foreign visitors to TDR: I was there last week, and unpleasantly found that the situation with ATMs and foreign cards has taken a dramatic turn for the worst. As far as I could tell, the only ATM left at the resort that takes foreign cards (other than Citibank cards) is the Japan Post ATM in Ikspiari. The ATM in the convenience store at the Hilton, despite the large number of foreign guests, does not take foreign cards. Also, the machines inside the parks don't take foreign cards. In the past, I've used the machines outside the parks near the entrance, as well as the one inside the MiraCosta. But, all those machines are now gone completely. This seems especially strange, as even a Japanese person arriving at the ticket window that needed to use an ATM to get money to buy their tickets would be out of luck, as the only machines at the parks are inside the gates. For those that have not been to Japan before, be advised that although there are ATMs everywhere just like everywhere else these days, unlike everywhere else, most do NOT take foreign cards. Your best options are a) Citibank ATMs, b) the ones inside 7-Elevens (but not other convenience stores), or c) the Japan Post Office ATMs, found at post offices and some other places. Outside of those, you're probably out of luck with a foreign card.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I guess they are trying to help foreigners from becoming laden with credit card debt.
Originally Posted By schnebs I didn't even know there was a Japan Post ATM in Ikspiari, SuperDry. Where is it? I can totally relate, alas. When I was at TDR in January, the closest place I could find to get money was the Japan Post office in Maihama - and I was lucky that the friend I was with knew where it was. I never did find a 7-Eleven nearby, either. Thank goodness that I remembered to get money from the ATM before leaving Narita.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I didn't even know there was a Japan Post ATM in Ikspiari, SuperDry. Where is it? >>> It's in a back hallway where the restrooms are, on 2F, kind of off the opposite side of the circular courtyard where the former Planet Hollywood globe dome is. There are three machines there from three different banks. The middle one with green signage is the Japan Post one. Every time I've been there, there's been a long line for at least one of the machines, but be advised that there is a separate line for each machine, complete with a sign on the floor with a shoe silhouette showing you where to queue for each machine. It's kind of chaotic, as there's little room in the hallway, 3 machines with 3 lines, and the men's and women's restrooms are right there as well. But sometimes there's little or no line for the Japan Post machine even though the others are busy.
Originally Posted By karlg I was told that the Post Office ATMs are generally a good place to go for foreign cards. I have been all over the world, but Japan always seems to cause me the most problems with cash. Several times I and my traveling partners have been on fumes trying to find an ATM that would work. Surprisingly to me, Japan seems require much more cash as there are many places that don't take credit cards (at least foreign ones). In Korea or Taiwan, I never seem to have problems with needing a lot of cash. On my last trip to the U.K. a few years back I was having trouble with my U.S. cards because they didn't have the smart-card chips in them. And it looked like in the future they wouldn't be taking them at all. I don't get to Europe much these days, but if I did, I would be looking into a smart card credit card. I always make sure I have travelers checks when I go to Japan. These I can cash at most large hotels or at a bank. I generally carry a lot more cash in Japan than any other country that I have been too. Years back (in the 1980's), I remember that TDL only took JBL cards which of course I didn't have. I ended up paying for everything with cash including souvenirs (which limited my buying). Karl
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<Years back (in the 1980's), I remember that TDL only took JBL cards which of course I didn't have.>> I remember those years as well, but I knew the situation beforehand, so I had enough cash. But I'm sure if there were ATM's in the park I would have spent more.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara This doesn't surprise me. There is a general disregard for the needs of Westerners traveling in Japan. It's impossible to make reservations for either the Tahitian Terrace or Diamond Horseshoe because they have to be made online (only) and the site is in Japanese (only). It's impossible to join the Funderful Disney club if you live outside Japan--no addresses outside Japan are allowed to register. This prevents any Westerners (and other Asians--whom they really can't stand) from taking advantage of the offerings of the club, special days, discounts, and merchandise that is on display in the Tokyo parks but which Westerners are actually forbidden to buy because you are excluded from the clubs. You also can't subscribe to Disney Fan magazine outside Japan unless you use a third-party service like Fuji-san, which charges more for the magazine and the postage.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Also, if you have an AP with a foreign address, you get none of the mailings that domestic AP holders get. Japan can be very frustrating with stuff like this. At least it's better these days with Japan Post and 7-Eleven ATMs now taking foreign cards. Until about 5 years ago, pretty much the ONLY option for foreign ATM cards was Citibank, which in places like Kyushu, there's exactly one on the whole island: at the airport. Also, cellphones are the same story. I've seen more than one person with a fancy quad-band "worldwide" phone and some great roaming plan, that nonetheless doesn't work in Japan, even though their carrier said it would. Basically, unless it's a 3G unit that supports the 2100MHz UMTS band, it won't work in Japan (unless of course it's specifically for the Japanese domestic market). Even some 3G UMTS "worldwide" handsets won't work because they don't support 2100Mhz (most of the world uses 1800 or 1900). I guess when you're the world's second biggest economy, you can get away with doing certain things differently than everyone else (kind of like how the US can get away with not using the metric system).
Originally Posted By TokyoSweets I know quite a few westerners who are part of Funderful. It doesn't prevent other asians and westerners from joining you just need to live in the country.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara "... you just need to live in the country." I understood that. There's no reason that you should have to live in the country.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***There's no reason that you should have to live in the country.*** I wouldn't say that. They have their reasons. I would imagine it has something to do with the extremely low percentage of customers participating from overseas, to the point where paying for additional postage, having to hand print labels or otherwise re-format their mailing system, likely having to staff at least one translator in order to handle customer inquiries and/or complaints from abroad (which would be few and far between but still need to be dealt with) and other similar cost issues are simply not worth extending the program to those outside of the country.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I imagine it works both ways; that there are U.S. Disney programs that are only available to U.S. residents. Do international AP holders to DL or WDW receive mailers? What about D23...can anyone join?
Originally Posted By Malin *** What about D23...can anyone join? *** You can join from anywhere in the World but expect to pay up to another $50 for shipping on top of the Membership.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo And agreed, we have never recieved mailers when we have had DL and WDW APs living in the UK, and at DLP it has been haphazard and in French only.
